Exploring writings that have impacted my faith, confronting the sacred cows of traditional unbiblical thinking, and pursuing fellowship in spirit and truth.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Not Under the Law but Grace!

Have you ever heard this line before, "Hey were not under the law anymore but under grace". More than one christian has pulled that line out of scripture when attempting to justify some selfish or carnal behaviour. But what does that phrase really mean? Does it mean that we are not accountable to God for our actions? As this link clearly shows, the New Testament is rife with commandments for the child of God.

10 comments:

I believe as the apostle Paul argues, esp. in the book of Romans, relative to the Law and Grace that; the law of the Mosaic Covenant is juxtaposed with the Law of the New Covenant. Paul says, Christ is the end of the “law” for all who believe, in 10:4. In 8:1-4 Paul makes clear, after just describing the law of “sin and death” in chapter 7 (see II Cor. 3, “the ministry of death . . .”/the same juxtaposition found in our passage), that the New Covenant, “the law of the Spirit of life . . .” (see II Cor. 3:3-6, 17-18, cf. Ezek. 36:24ff)(also in Pauline usage it appears that within the context and usage of “law” and “Spirit”/New Covenant is being alluded to) has different results than the Mosaic covenant. In other words, Paul views the law’s fulfillment as life giving and not condemning; life giving because the Mosaic covenant/law no longer is pointing to man’s failure, but rather, Christ’s victory. Paul understands that through death comes life (cf. II Cor. 4:10), and through the tutelage of the Mosaic Law (cf. Gal. 3:24) man in his shortcomings is pointed to the overcoming of Jesus. Galatians 3—4 underscores this reality, showing the reader that in Christ’s corporate solidarity with humanity, i.e. bearing the curse of the law, ultimately fulfilled the law via perfect obedience and death because of the law. He served as the unblemished Lamb of God, the ultimate scapegoat (cf. Lev. 16), not just for the Jews, but for the world. I do not believe that the imputed righteousness of Christ, is not based upon Christ's obedience to the Mosaic Law--but upon the "foreign" internal righteousness that is presupposed by the nature of the perfect God/Man, i.e. the divine.

That is a good list to have for a reference. The New Testament is full of verses that give us instruction on how to be sanctified. They are certainly are a warning to those that would hold to the myth of the carnal Christian. It is pure fantasy to believe one can profess faith with no change in one’s life or sinful behavior and be truly redeemed.

Bobby, amen to that. If you refine that paragraph a bit more I think you would have quite the jewel to explain the transitional purpose of the Mosaic law.

I am absolutely not pushing a works righteousness, but if any self-righteous believer thinks they are somehow less accountable than the Jews they are sadly mistaken. Hopefully this list can show us that the only way to overcome is truly by living according to the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.

Jazzycat, you are absolutely correct in stating that a Christian must not live a carnal life.

However, we must also be very careful that we do not simply gauge a person's salvation solely upon their outward character. Many 'religious' people can act quite godly and yet be completely lost because they have never seen their need for Christ.

If anything, the law shows us our complete inability to ever fulfill its righteousness in ourselves. Then the good news of Christ's overcoming life can be our reality. That is where we should be living, in the glory with Christ, looking away from the failures and defeats of this world and setting our minds, thoughts, and affections upon Jesus.

thank you so much for this one Jim.My standard responce to people who try to excuse their sinfulness as they are now inder grace but not law was "Faith without deeds is dead" this is much better and I think im going to steal the link.